Spot Basing Is the Makeup Artist Secret to Prevent Under Eye Concealer From Creasing

We all know the feeling — you catch your reflection in a passing mirror halfway through the day and realize (gasp!) that your carefully placed concealer has migrated into every single crease under your eyes. Lines you didn't even know you had are shockingly pronounced and you still have hours to go until you can wash off all your makeup and retire to the couch with a glass of wine and a couple of hydrating undereye patches. Oh well, creasing is simply inevitable, right? Not necessarily, says celebrity makeup artist Jillian Dempsey.

Like most makeup concerns from preventing mascara transfer to keeping your foundation from flaking, keeping your under eye concealer from creasing is all about preparation and technique — plus a really stellar formula. With a few tips from the experts and a handful of tried-and-tested products, your under eyes will be crease-free from day to evening, leaving only flawless and nearly imperceptible coverage that feels almost as good as it looks.

Keep scrolling for five tips to prevent under eye concealer from creasing, straight from the celebrity makeup artist, plus the best formulas to try.

Your skin is the body's largest organ and therefore will reflect how you're feeling (and potentially if you're not making the healthiest lifestyle choices). "The health of the skin determines how your makeup will look when applied," says Demspey. "A healthy diet, sleep, and lots of water help to enhance your skin." Ignoring these essentials will leave your skin prone to dryness and irritation, both of which will make achieving seamless concealer application much more difficult.

While a super creamy and full coverage concealer works wonders for covering up breakouts or disguising hyperpigmentation, you'll want to keep your choice of formula on the lighter side for your under eyes. "Oily creams and overly dry, heavy coverage concealers are the worst offenders for under eye creasing," says Demspey." They make lines you don't even have look worse." Look for options that are light to medium coverage to minimize their potential for creasing throughout the day and keep your application as minimal as possible. If you want to brighten your skin, reach for the Revlon ColorStay Skin Awaken Concealer ($13). If you want to keep dry skin moisturized, try the Chantecaille Le Camouflage Stylo ($60). Have oily skin? Grab the Jillian Dempsey Spot Stick Concealer ($32). And if you're dealing with more mature skin, try the Armani Luminous Silk Concealer ($39).

Revlon ColorStay Skin Awaken Concealer

From

$13

$13 at revlon.com

Chantecaille Le Camouflage Stylo

From

$60

$60 at Chantecaille

Jillian Dempsey Spot Stick Concealer

From

$32

$32 at Alexander

Armani Luminous Silk Concealer

From

$39

$39 at Giorgio Armani Beauty

Dry under eyes are the enemy when you're applying a concealer, which makes a quality eye cream a valuable tool to prevent creasing. But you also don't want to add too much oil to the area. Dempsey recommends looking for an everyday eye cream formula, like Shani Darden Skin Care Intensive Eye Renewal Cream with Firming Peptides ($68), that's not too greasy to help your concealer sit smoothly and last from day to night.

Shani Darden Skin Care Intensive Eye Renewal Cream with Firming Peptides

From

$68

$68 at Sephora

More is not always more when it comes to under eye concealer. Dempsey suggests using the spot basing technique as opposed to all-over coverage under the eyes. "Make small dots only on the areas needed and stay away from the frown lines," she says. "Tap to blend and only cover the dark area. Do not take the concealer all the way to the lower lash line — stop before you get up that high. This will help to avoid creasing close to your eyes." To apply, she recommends either a nylon bristle brush or a moistened beauty sponge, but your fingers can also work if that's more your speed.

Baking remains a popular makeup technique but Demspey emphasizes caution when using a powder under the eyes. "It's best to [use] a loose brush to feather dust [the powder] gently around the eyes to set it," she says. A translucent formula, like Tatcha The Silk Powder Protective Setting Powder ($49), is best for this step, and don't load up the brush too much. A final spritz of setting mist, like Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray ($38), can help to lock in the rest of your makeup and ensure that all of your products sit beautifully until the day is done, zero creases in sight.

Tatcha The Silk Powder Protective Setting Powder

From

$49

$49 at Sephora

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

From

$38

$38 at Sephora